Display fixture



.Nov. 1, 1932. I. BARNETT 1,885,103

DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed March 1, I932 INVENTOR.

Isaac Bar/73f ORNEY.

Patent ed Nov. 1, 1932 ISAAC BARNETT, F BRONX, NEW YORK DISPLAY FIXTURE Application filed March 1, 1932. Serial No. 596,014.

This invention is a display fixture embodying means whereby it may be supported by suction on any hard, non-porous surface and more particularly on the glass of Windows,

doors, showcases, or on marble walls, or any other places where it is desired to display advertising or other matter.

The invention is particularly intended for the display of menus on the windows of restaurants or the display of merchandise in store windows or elsewhere within such establishments.

Speaking generally, the invention consists in a sheet metal body comprising a base portion with which is associated a plurality of vacuum or suction cups and associated with this base portion is a supporting portion having formed thereon one or more shelves or abutments to engage with and hold a cardboard, showcard, menu or merchandise as may be desired. The base portion and supporting portion may be formed integral if desired or may be formed separately and united by welding or otherwise as will hereinafter he more fully described.

It is characteristic of the present invention that when the base portion is secured to a window or other suitable support by the use of the vacuum cups associated therewith, the supporting portion partakes of an upstanding position and this position may be vertical or inclined to the vertical as may be desired, so that when the device is mounted on the window of a restaurant for example, it is well adapted to support a menu card in convenient position to be read by passers-by.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates different practical embodiments of the invention, but the construction therein shown, is

to be understood as illustrative, only and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the invention in one of its preferred practical forms.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the structure sheet metal provided at its lower edge with I a right angular flange 2 and its other margin is. adapted to underlie in face abutting relation one end of a supporting portion 3. The overlapping parts of these two portions 1 and 3 are secured together in any suitable'manner as by spot welding, so as to render them relatively immovable. ,The lower edge of the supporting portion 3 is curled upwardly to provide a shelf or keeper 4, and the upper end of the supporting portion as viewed in 'Figures 1 and 2 is curled back upon itself to provide a second shelf 5.

The base portion 1 has afiixed thereto a plurality of suction cups 6, which are secured thereto by means of bolts 7 which are carried by the cups and pass through perforations in the base 1 as will be apparent from F igure 2.

I find it convenient and desirable in many cases toutilize the suction cups to secure a showcard 8 in position wherein it will be in face abutting relation to the base 1. This may be accomplished by removing the suction cups, placmg the card in face abutting relation with the base, punching holes in the card, and thereupon reattaching the cups so that they will hold the advertising card 8 in the position indicated in Figure 1. For the sake of clarity, I have omitted the card 8 in the other figures of the drawing.

Suction cups are of conventional form and function in the usual manner and it will therefore be apparent that when it is desired to mount the device on the window pane for example, the inside surface and the edges of the cups 6 may be wetted and the device pressed against a window pane to mount the same either in the position of Figures 2 or 3. When mounted as shown in Figure 2, against the inner surface of the window pane which is indicated at 9, a menu card, show card or other extraneous device or article 10 may be caused to rest upon the supporting portion 3 with its lower edge seated on the shelf 4.

i In the preferred form of the invention, the supporting portion is tilted back into acute angular relation with respect to the plane of the base 1 and thus provides convenient support for the article 10, which may be readily observed through the window pane by passers-by.

The reverse position shown in Figure 3 is particularly usedwhen attaching a device to walls or other transparent surfaces to mount the device in position wherein articles may be supported on the shelf 5 as will be apparent from Figure 3.

It is important to note that where a relatively high device is mounted on suction cups arranged at one end thereof, there is a tendency of the device to tilt and for this reason the flange 2 is provided to act as a stop against the window pane 9, when the device is in the upstanding position of Figure 2, While the shelf 4 bears against the surface of the wall or other support 9a when the device is in reverse position as exhibited in Figure 3. Thus, the flange 2 acts as an abutment to withstand the tendency to tilt when the device is in upright position While the shelf 4 serves in the same capacity when the device is reversed.

In the structure as thus far described, the device is constructed of two sheet metal parts secured together but in practice, it may be made in one part. For example, it may be constructed as shown in Figure 4, wherein the shelf 4a which corresponds to the shelf 4 is formed by offsetting the single piece of material from which the device is made. When this is done, this offset will not function as an abutment when the structure is reversed as in Figure 3,- and consequently I find it desirable in this form of the device to provide two rows of suction cups 6 positioned one above the other on the base. In this structure, the flange 2 at the bottom may be omitted if desired, but is preferably employed as it facilitates the cups in holding the device upright when relatively heavy articles are placed on the shelf 4a. This shelf 4a may be of any suitable width from front to back and if made extensive in this direction with the device constructed in relatively light sheet metal, a reinforcing rib 11 of strap sheet metal or in the form of a casting may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the back of the device to stiffen it.

Any number of suction cups may be employed and they may be arranged in one or a plurality of rows in any embodiment of the invention without departing from the invention.

In both forms of the device as illustrated, the supporting portion is shown as tilted with respect to the base portion. I wish it understood, however, that this supporting portionmay be made in a plane parallel to or in the same plane as the base portion without departing from the invention.

The structure shown in Figure f when the supporting portion is made to stand in a vertical plane is well adapted to hold books and magazines back of a window pane and has been satisfactorily employed for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown the device in two of its preferred practical forms. I am aware, however, that it may be manufactured in other ways to operate in substantially the same manner as hereinbe- For example the base porfore described. tion 1 and the supporting portion 3 may be one continuous piece of sheet metal and the shelf 4 may be in the form of a narrow strip spot welded or otherwise secured thereto in proper position. In view of these possible modifications, I wish the invention to be understood as not limited to the specific structure shown, but as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby letters patent is:

1. A display device comprising a sheet metal base portion, suction means on said base portion adapted to engage with a flat vertical surface to mount the base portion in upstanding position, a sheet metal supporting portion carried by and extending upwardly from the upper part of the base portion in a direction inclined away from said surface, and a transversely extending shelf mounted on one of said portions and projecting outwardly in the direction of the flat vertical surface on which the device is mounted.

2. A display device comprising a base por tion having thereon suction cups to engage with and mount the base portion on a flat surface, and an upstanding supporting portion mounted on and carried by the base portion, said supporting portion being provided adjacent the base portion with a shelf facing in the direction of the surface on which the device is adapted to be mounted to sup port an article thereon when the device is in upstanding position and said supporting portion being also provided at its opposite end and at its opposite side with another shelf adapted to support an article when the device is reversed.

3. A display device comprising suction means adapted to engage with a fiat,,vertical surface, a sheetmetal base portion secured to the suction means to be supported by said means on said surface, the lower edge of the base portion having a flange extending into contact with said surface, a supporting portion carried by the base in upstanding position and inclined away from said surface, and a card shelf at the bottom of the supporting portion and on the side thereof adjacent said surface.

4. A display device comprising suction means adapted to engage with a fiat vertical surface, a base portion secured intermediate its top and bottom to the suction means to be supported thereby on said surface, a supporting portion extending upwardly from the top of the base portion and inclined away from said surface, a heel flange rigid with the bottom of the base portion and extending into contact with said surface to preclude the base portion from tilting on the suction means when weight is imposed on the supporting portion, and a card supporting shelf extending transversely of the supporting portion at the bottom thereof and on that side thereof adjacent said surface.

5. A display device comprising suction means adapted to engage with a flat vertical surface, a flat base portion secured to the suction means in substantially parallel relation to said surface, a heel flange at the lower edge of said portion extending to and hearing against said surface, the upper edge of said base portion being bent in a direction away from said surface to form a shelf, and an upstanding supporting plate extending upwardly from the back of the shelf and inclined away from said surface.

6. A display device comprising suction means adapted to engage with a flat vertical surface, a base portion, the lower edge of which bears against the vertical surface below the suction means, and which base portion extends upwardly to and beyond the suction means and is secured to the suction means to mount said base portion on said surface, the top of said base portion carrying a supporting portion extending upwardly and in a direction inclined away from said surface, and a shelf member extending transversely of the supporting portion and at the bottom thereof to engage and support the lower edge of a card resting in inclined position upon the supporting portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

ISAAC BARNETT. 

